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World Suicide Prevention Day encourages hope and resiliency

September 12, 2013

Activists, researchers, clinicians, and policy makers came together on September 10 for World Suicide Prevention Day, calling attention to the growing prevalence of suicidal behaviour around the world. As nearly one million people worldwide – including about 4,000 Canadians – die by suicide every year, World Suicide Prevention Day is presented annually by the International Association for Suicide Prevention to spread awareness and break the silence about suicide. This year’s theme, Stigma: A Major Barrier to Suicide Prevention, was in recognition that a large proportion of people who die by suicide suffer from mental illness.

Building on this international theme, the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention partnered with the Mental Health Commission of Canada to focus on Hope and Resiliency at Home and Work, encouraging the capacity of families and workplaces to support mental, physical and spiritual wellness.

This cohesive look at the factors that influence mental health at home and in the community is consistent with CMHA’s research on the significant impact of social determinants on mental health. In particular, CMHA Ontario and partners identified social inclusion, freedom from discrimination and access to economic resources as the three most significant determinants of mental health in Ontario in Mental Health Promotion in Ontario: A Call To Action.

CMHA branches across the province offer crisis intervention and prevention services to the local community. Contact your local branch if you or someone you know is in crisis.